Jackie Robinson Obstacles

“Robinson faced death threats, vulgar insults, and hate-filled fans”(Jackie Robinson para 3). It’s because he was the first African-American baseball player in major league baseball and nobody liked him because of that. Jackie Robinson was a brave, hardworking men that accomplished a lot in his life for baseball and African-American community. Jackie Robinson had a positive influence on African Americans because he was the first African-American baseball player in major league baseball, he was a founder of ways to help African-American and he was a civil rights advocate for African-Americans.

Robinson was took a huge risk taking part in this, but it was worth it. He helped the Dodgers win the World Series and after the game a huge mob chased Jackie for three blocks and Sam Maltin a reporter from the Pittsburg Courier stated “It was probably the only day in history that a black man ran from a white mob with love instead of hate on its mind” (Swaine, 2006). It took years until the Major Leagues opened up to more African Americans, but when it did they had a lot of love for Jackie. Joe Black a former teammate expressed his gratitude by saying “When I look at my house. I say thank God for Jackie Robinson” (Singer, 2016).

Jackie Robinson’s life changed when he became the first black man to play in the World Series and Major League Baseball during a time of segregation in the United States. These life-changing events challenged him because he had to face racially tense crowds and endured threats from teammates, opponents and bigoted fan. According to paragraph three of the text, Robinson states, “Some of my teammates refused to accept me because I was black. I had been forced to live with snubs, rebuffs, and rejections. “ This quote explains that Robinson had faced the rejections from some of his teammates because he looked different from them. Despite the racism he faced, these life-changing events caused Robinson to grow and develop by making him proud of his accomplishments and appreciate the support, courage, and love shown by his supporters. In paragraph four, Robinson states, “Black people supported me with total loyalty. They supported me morally: they came to sit in a hostile audience in unprecedented numbers to make the turnstiles hum as they never had before at ballparks all over the nation. Money is America's God, and business people can dig black power if it coincides with green power, so these fans were important to the success of Mr. Rickey's ‘Noble Experiment’.” This quote stated the idea of the blacks were trying to fight through their excitement and nervousness that they felt since they had not been

Jackie Robinson brought baseball fans of all races together and it improved race relations because even though their was still hatred, white people were getting eased into racial integration since Jackie Robinson was laying the foundations of civil rights. Robinson was loved by many and hated by plenty, every game he played he packed the stands whether it be fans who are cheering for him or booing him. According to the biography by Wilson “Many fans came out to cheer Robinson, and a lot came out to boo him but both groups bought tickets” (75). He performed so well on the baseball field that the fans would lose sight of his color, and the stands were predominantly white so he was doing so well with a very unsupportive fan base. In the biography

Before 1947, Major League Baseball had never had a black player, although there were Negro Leagues. Jackie Robinson broke that. It takes courage and dedication to chase after something you love. Jackie had that for the game of baseball. The Civil Rights Movement was occurring during the time Jackie enter the Major Leagues, so the times were tough for him. Jackie did more than just play baseball; he introduced a whole new way to play the game, with blacks and whites. He did this by breaking the color barrier and introducing blacks into the Major Leagues, facing discrimination and showing his true passion for the game, and showing that he was looking to help all African-Americans in the civil rights movement.

In 1946 he had his first game against the Royals. Breaking the color barrier (1947) The following year, six days before the start of the 1947 season, the Dodgers called Robinson up to the major leagues. Within his first two years he showed great courage without fighting back, also in his first year he became Rookie of the Year. In the year of 1949 he became MVP. In 1957 he retired from baseball, and in 1962 he got into the Baseball Hall of Fame. In 1997 he integrated baseball, and his number, 42, was retired.

Jackie Robinson was soon to be scouted by a white man, his name was Branch Rickey. He was the president of the Brooklyn Dodgers and he was in the white leagues. Soon later, Jackie Robinson first played for the Montreal Monarchs an all-white team then moved and became a new player to the Brooklyn Dodgers, he was the first black player to compete in the major leagues and first black player to be on the team too. For Jackie being the first African American to play in this major leagues, “Robinson was the target of racial epithets and flying cleats, of hate letters and death threats, of pitchers throwing at his head and legs, and catchers spitting on his shoes.” Jackie Robinson would get racial slurs from the crowd and from other teams. Jackie and his family would receive threats. He though was scared for himself and his family, but he knew that this was not an option to quit. Jackie did not give up, he will fight back with his talents in baseball. Throughout all his games, Jackie Robinson had the guts to play baseball through any adversity. He was able to overcome his fears and the hatred he had to hold back from the segregation and discrimination. The talent he had “Jackie Robinson became the first black player in the major leagues in 1947, signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers. He was named Rookie of the Year in 1947, National League MVP in 1949 and a World Series champ in 1955.” Through the course of the years, Jackie Robinson was able to achieve a lot. He knew just by playing his heart out there and giving his all would lead him to goals not a lot of baseball players can get to. Through any circumstance, Jackie was able to show the ones that doubted, made fun of him, and threatened him that he has never given up and he was able to do it and achieve it. From when Branch Rickey picked up Jackie Robinson, Jackie being the first and only black baseball player at this time, it is a huge

Jackie Robinson is known mostly for his achievements in athletics. In the video “Jackie Robinson - Changing Major League Baseball” from Bio.com, it is stated that “Robinson was the first African American to play in the majors in the twentieth century.” (0:20, 0:24). Not only had he started something new, Robinson had ended a sixty year old stigma. In an excerpt from “How Jackie Robinson Changed Baseball” by Jessica McBirney, it is stated that “In later seasons, more African-Americans joined other teams in the Major Leagues”, showing the impact that opening the gates had on the world of baseball (7). Robinsons’ breaking down of the color barrier in baseball has shown the impact that chasing dreams can have and has led to many people going after what they want.

Robinson became a superstar at the perfect time as the U.S just got out of the World War 2 and defeated Adolf Hitler. When Jackie got involved with the league he brought people together through baseball, the black and white fans were so happy for the success for the Dodgers. He also impacted the U.S because he also took action during the civil rights. Jackie was the chairman for the Nation Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s (NAACP). It was the Fight for Freedom. Robinson gave lectures around the country. Jackie Robinson went through all of this to prove and show everyone that all humans should be treated well. He also went through it all so, no other athletes will struggle to become

Jackie Robinson was a vocal civil activist throughout his life, especially during his Major League debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Before Robinson, professional baseball was for white men only. However, the manager for the Brooklyn Dodgers wanted to change this and he saw an opportunity in Jackie Robinson. Robinson was a courageous baseball player and had what it takes to make a major change in society. The number of African American and Latino baseball players steadily grew throughout the years after Jackie’s debut in the Major Leagues; he opened up an opportunity for many men who otherwise may have never had a shot.

Jackie Robinson was an American hero not only for the African American community proving that they were equal to white Americans, but also breaking the color barrier in major American sports and paved the way for future minorities for major American sports. Robinson throughout his whole life faced racial discrimination and was treated inferior to whites from his childhood until the day he died, and his life’s work made America a better place for African Americans by gaining more rights and opportunities, whether if they gained Civil Rights or rights to play on the same field as white professional sports players. The man who took the risk of signing Jackie Robinson was the General Manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers Branch Rickey, a former Major

Jackie Robinson was a life changing man. Blacks were always rejected from baseball because of segregation. Jackie once told a reporter “ I want to live to see a black manager”. Jackie Robinson had an aggressive style of play causing his to be one of the greatest players of all time. Once Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier many more blacks were able to play baseball.

Jackie Robinson opened doors to many African Americans to look past discrimination and focus on what they want to be. If it was not for him there might not be any African Americans playing America’s true pastime or any professional sport. Jackie Robinson changed the face of baseball and what it consisted of. He did something no one can imagine. Playing a game full of whites and facing the struggles of diversity throughout his career.

Jackie, Melba, and Feng have all faced life changing experiences that shaped their countries. Jackie Robinson was the first black player in the major leagues. Then, Melba Beals was one of the first African Americans to go to a white school. Finally Feng Ru was the first Chinese man to make a working airplane.In “I’ve Never Had It Made”,”Warriors Don’t Cry”, and “Father of Chinese Aviation” have all faced life changing experiences that changed their lives and their countries.

Jackie Robinson is very important to sports industry. Especially the Major League Baseball Association. He was discriminated for the color of his skin, the way he talked, what he wore. He was a role model to many African Americans at this time, and even present day. Everybody in sports look up to him, because if it were not for Jackie, they would not be there. What he did took a lot of courage to do.